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Israel faces a national general strike in protest of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of refusing to properly negotiate for the release of hostages held by Hamas after six were found dead in the terror group’s tunnels. The bodies of six hostages, taken alive by Hamas during its incursion into Israel on October 7, were found in a tunnel 20m (66ft) underground and less than a mile away from where fellow hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found last week.
One hostage was Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin (pictured), 23, a native of Berkeley, California, who lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, a Hamas-issued video showed him alive, sparking new protests in Israel.
The army identified the others as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alexander Lobanov, 33; and Carmel Gat (all pictured), 40. While many in Israel had an appetite to launch an offensive against Gaza in the days after October 7, few seem to have the stomach nearly 11 months on.
Israel’s biggest labour union, Histadrut, called for a general strike on Monday to pressure Netanyahu into bringing back the remaining hostages Emboldened by Histadrut, an estimated half a million people took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities in Israel to voice their fury at Netanyahu.
Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David made the announcement on Sunday, adding the action will begin at 6am tomorrow with decisions beyond Monday to be made at a later time. Speaking at a press conference following a meeting with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Tel Aviv on Sunday, Bar-David said: ‘Jews are being murdered in the tunnels of Gaza. It is impossible to grasp and has to stop’.
He chillingly continued: ‘We are getting body bags instead of a deal. I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention might move those who need to be moved. I call on the people of Israel to go out to the streets tonight and tomorrow and for everyone to take part in the strike. It is impossible to stand by anymore and neglect as our children are murdered in the tunnels of Gaza… a deal needs to be reached, a deal is more important than anything else. Therefore, I have decided that starting tomorrow, the entire Israeli economy will go on strike’.
After conversing with several security officials at the event, the labour leader said he believes a ceasefire deal has not yet been reached ‘because of political considerations’, claiming ‘we are no longer one people; we are camp against camp… we need to bring back the State of Israel,’ he concluded. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum joined the chorus after earlier calling on Israeli citizens to ‘join a massive demonstration, demanding a complete shutdown of the country’. The group welcomed Bar-David’s decision, stating: ‘The economy and the country will stop tomorrow, to apply pressure on the cabinet and the prime minister to end the abandonment, save the living hostages, and return the 101 hostages in a deal’.
A statement from the forum said the latest six to die were ‘murdered in the last few days, after surviving almost 11 months of abuse, torture and starvation in Hamas captivity’. The group added: ‘The delay in signing the deal has led to their deaths and those of many other hostages.’ As a result of the nationwide strike, restaurants, cinemas, and other popular venues will close early. A large Israeli law firm also said it will support the protests by offering legal assistance to anyone targeted by Israeli Police during their show of activism.
The mayor of Tel Aviv publicly backed the strike move, saying the municipality will join tomorrow’s action, in a post on X. Ron Huladi goes on to accuse the Israeli government of ‘abandoning’ the six hostages whose bodies were discovered on Gaza, while adding the planned strike action is a ‘sign of solidarity’ with the victims and their families. He called for people to take to the streets of Tel Aviv from morning until noon.
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